More thoughts on John 15....

At the beginning of John’s gospel, when the two disciples of John begin following Jesus, they ask, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" (John 1:38) The word translated "staying" is the Greek word meno, which means "to remain, abide." This word "abide" is a major theme in John 15:1-17. It appears over and over and over, in verses 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 16. The NIV translation is "remain," but in the NRSV or KJV you can see "abide" over and over. When a word is repeated that often, it’s a clue – something’s going on. And in John’s gospel, everything "going on" is theologically significant.

The new disciples’ question, "Where are you meno?" is a major question John’s gospel sets out to answer. In one of His controversies with the Jews, Jesus’ opponents stammer, "We know where this man is from. But when Christ comes, no one will know where He is from." (John 7:27) Do they really know where Jesus is from? No. That’s the problem. They think He is from Nazareth. But where DOES Jesus abide?

The answer as the gospel develops is that Jesus is from the Father. Not only that, but He abides in the Father. "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) "The Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 10:38) "If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:7) Jesus shares the divine life with the Father. He meno’s in the Father.

But what is truly amazing is that Jesus invites US to "abide" in Him. "Abide in me and I will abide in you." (John 15:4) This is not simply an admonition to continue reading our Bible, praying, going to church and Sunday School. This is nothing less than an invitation TO US to participate in the divine life shared between Jesus and the Father. Jesus invites us to meno in the Father and the Son. "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." (John 1:4)

Wow.